November-December 2010

Health Global - December 2010 edition
The development of the infection prevention and control service at Imperial College Healthcare
A feature about the Trust’s infection prevention and control service appeared in the December edition of Health Global.
The work of the Centre for Infection Prevention and Management (CIPM) was highlighted in the piece. The CIPM is a collaboration between the Trust, Imperial College London and the Health Protection Agency.
The article stated that the CIPM adopts a truly multi-disciplinary approach to tackling healthcare associated infections as it brings together molecular microbiologists, epidemiologists, statisticians, practicing clinicians, pharmacists, infection control nurses and health management researchers.

Stylist - 8 December 2010
Work/Life
Midwife Rachel Lex described a day in her working life at St Mary’s Hospital Birth Centre.
She talked about the facilities at the birth centre, its policy of helping women to have natural births and how she supports mothers through labour and the birth.
Rachel added: “I always wanted to be a midwife but decided to become a nurse first to get some general experience.
“Putting a baby into a mother’s arms is wonderful. I don’t think I could do anything else.” 

BBC Radio 4 - 2 December 2010
Operation robot
The ‘In business’ programme explored the future of robotics in healthcare.
CPG2 director Justin Vale was interviewed while using the da Vinci robot in SMH theatres. Professors Ara Darzi and Guan-Zhong Yang were interviewed in the Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery.
The programme discussed what surgeons are currently able to achieve with robots and the proto-types of the future.

BBC London - 1 December 2010
Major trauma centre opens at St Mary’s
BBC London covered the opening of our major trauma centre (MTC) at St Mary’s Hospital.
The piece, which was filmed in our major trauma theatre and ward, explained that our MTC was the fourth in London.
Figures released by NHS London showed that the centres expect to save more than 100 lives a year.
The Trust’s clinical director of trauma, Michael Jenkins, was interviewed for the piece, as was Dr Fionna Moore, London’s clinical director of trauma.
The story was also covered by the Evening Standard, the Wood and Vale and the Westminster Chronicle.
BBC Online

British Liver Trust’s bulletin - winter 2010
Patient centred care: St Mary’s Liver Unit
This full-page article described how patient centred care at St Mary’s Hospital’s liver unit means a more stress-free time for patients visiting for liver biopsies.
Senior nurse at the unit Louise Campbell said: “One anxious patient was talking to the nurse while the procedure was being performed and was surprised to be informed that it had been done, as they did not feel it.”
To view the article, please see page 6 of the bulletin.

Daily Mail - 30 November 2010
Who's the best surgeon for unblocking your arteries?
The Daily Mail ran a story on how heart patients are now more likely to be treated by cardiologists with minimally-invasive techniques than heart surgeons.
To highlight this, the Mail undertook a survey of 40 leading cardiologists in the UK and asked them to nominate five of their peers and explain why they were outstanding performers in their field. From these nominations, a list was compiled of the top ten cardiologists, as well as five runners-up who came under the highly recommended category.
Within this category, consultant cardiologist Dr Iqbal Malik was nominated. The Mail described him as: “a great communicator, a very nice man and an excellent trainer – you have to be a good operator to be a good trainer. He is particularly interested in structural conditions such as repairing holes in the heart.”
Daily Mail

h&f news - 30 November 2010
Being a foetus is one of life’s cosiest times
This article described how researchers at Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital have made a breakthrough in learning how babies’ brains develop.
The findings of the Imperial College London scientists, who worked with patients at the hospital, are set to pave the way for easier diagnosis of brain damage in babies and will help doctors monitor the effectiveness of any treatment given to affected babies.
Lead author of the study Professor David Edwards said that knowing more about the area of the brain studied could lead to an understanding of how new treatments, such as drugs, are working.
To view the article, see page 16 of the November 30 issue.

Fulham and Hammersmith Chronicle - 26 November 2010
Family fundraises for ‘amazing’ care
Relatives of a cancer patient who died at Charing Cross fundraised raised more than £1,000 to say thank you for his care.
The family of Ranvirsinh Darbar presented a cheque of £1,392 to clinical nurse specialist Rachel Sharkey who received the donation on behalf of Macmillan Cancer Support.
Mr Darbar’s brother, Mohansinh, said: “The care my brother received at this centre was amazing. They looked after him so well and Rachel was absolutely brilliant.”

West End Extra - 26 November 2010
Celebration of 98-year-old grandfather of allergy, who was Alexander Fleming’s registrar
This article was on the launch of a film on Dr Bill Frankland, who trained and worked at St Mary’s Hospital and whose name has been given to our current allergy clinic.
Dr Frankland worked with the inventor of penicillin Alexander Fleming and invented the pollen count.
At the screening of the film at the Roger Bannister Lecture theatre, a portrait of Dr Frankland was also unveiled.
West End Extra
This story also appeared in the Westminster Chronicle.

The Telegraph - 22 November 2010
I could save a life – and that’s all that matters
A man who altruistically donated different parts of his body to people he’d never met, was the focus of a recent Telegraph article.
Harry Kiernan has donated one kidney and a portion of his liver. He is on the bone marrow transplant register and has put himself forward to donate part of his lung.
Mr Vassilios Papalois, consultant renal surgeon, was asked about the risks involved in multiple live donations. He was said to have advised caution because of the cumulative physical risk to a donor, saying that in Kiernan’s case a future lung lobe donation could be too much for a man of his age. In the article Mr Papalois was described as a ‘champion of living donation in the UK’.
The Telegraph

Nursing Times - 22 November 2010
Innovative patient experience programme launched
This article was on Imperial College Healthcare’s launch of I care ambassadors and trainers as well as a new booklet of I care advice for staff.
The I care programme is designed to improve the patient experience.
Director of nursing Janice Sigsworth said: “I care has been a really innovative trust-wide programme to engage all staff in improving the attitudes, behaviours and communications of all our staff.”
Nursing Times

Evening Standard - 19 November 2010
‘Super stroke’ centres save 400 patients
The Evening Standard ran a story on improvements to stroke patient care in London since the launch of hyper acute stroke units (HASUs).
The story states that new stroke units in London are being credited with saving up to 400 lives a year as well as reducing the lasting disabilities that affect thousands more.
The HASUs, opened in February, are giving stroke victims faster access to essential clot-busting drugs. The article stated that the capital now leads the country and in some instances, cities around the world, in the treatment of strokes.
It cites an investigation by the Royal College of Physicians found that five of the top six stroke services in the country were based in London. St George's Hospital topped the list, followed by University College Hospital, Charing Cross Hospital, St Thomas' and King's College Hospital.
The Standard

Fulham and Hammersmith Chronicle - 19 November 2010
Facing trial – what it’s like to be a human guinea pig
Local journalist Greg Burns recently visited the Sir John McMichael Centre at Hammersmith Hospital to find out what it’s like to put yourself forward for the healthy volunteers database, with a view to taking part in a clinical trial.
The result was a one-page feature in the Hammersmith and Fulham Chronicle about his experiences. During his visit he underwent the standard health check required for all volunteers wishing to participate in clinical trials. He also interviewed head of clinical research at the centre Dr Vincenzo Libri, who discussed people’s motivations for taking part in clinical trials, including wanting to help family members affected by a particular condition.
Speaking about the importance of taking part in a trial, the journalist said: “Advancing medical science and the curing of serious diseases is such an important thing to support.
“It is ironic that with all the technology in the world today, it still totally relies on human donation of time and body. It could be viewed as a responsibility that none of us should shirk.”

Daily Telegraph - 17 November 2010
iPhone app by leading surgeon to rate health services launched
A new iPhone application which empowers patients to make more informed decisions and better manage their health has been launched.
The application, named ‘Wellnote by Dr Darzi’, is the first smartphone health portal of its kind which allows patients to rate the healthcare services they use, as well as maintain their own health records and set medication and appointment reminders.
The Telegraph

h&F news - 16 November 2010
A hearty welcome for new specialist centre
The opening of the new heart attack assessment centre at Hammersmith Hospital appeared in the h&f news.  
The new unit will provide specialist treatment to local patients with suspected heart attacks.  
The £1.4m facility includes nine new beds and will enable the hospital to increase its number of heart procedures and perform emergency operations 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 
Lead consultant cardiologist Dr Iqbal Malik said: "We will be seeing some of the highest-risk heart patients in London who will greatly benefit from being investigated directly by a specialist team - giving them the best care in the shortest amount of time." He added: "Patients' length of stay will generally be shorter because they'll receive all their care in one hospital, rather than needing to be transferred. "This will not only improve the patient experience, but also save money for the health service."
LBHF Link

The Times magazine - 13 November 2010
Britain's top doctors
Ten Trust consultants were named as leaders in their specialties in a list complied by The Times. 
The Times. The newspaper's directory of 'Britain's top doctors' was published after six months of research during which charities, specialists and professional bodies and associations were asked to name the top specialists in a particular field. 
The Times’ medical correspondent Dr Mark Porter said those named on the list 'are not just extraordinary doctors but extraordinary people.’ 
The ten Trust consultants featured in the directory are as follows:
Professor Ara Darzi, consultant surgeon, professor of surgery
Mr Justin Vale, consultant surgeon, urology and CPG2 director 
Professor John Warner, honorary consultant in pediatric allergy and respiratory medicine and former professor of paediatrics 
Professor Martyn Partridge, professor of respiratory medicine and former consultant in respiratory medicine
Professor Lesley Regan, consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology
Mr Sailesh Kumar, consultant in foetal medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology
Mr Geoffrey Trew, consultant in reproductive medicine and surgery 
Mr Hesham Saleh, consultant rhinologist and facial plastic surgeon
Mr Peter Clarke, consultant otolaryngologist, head and neck surgeo
Mr Roberto Casula, consultant cardiothoracic surgeon

BBC News (Breakfast, One O'Clock) - 11 November 2010
Care for elderly surgical patients praised
The care we provide to elderly patients following orthopaedic surgery was praised in the national news.
Consultant orthogeriatrician Michael Fertleman was interviewed by the BBC on Valentine Ellis ward at St Mary’s Hospital for a story about surgical care for the elderly.
The work of Dr Fertleman and his colleagues was hailed as an example of good practice where elderly medicine specialists are embedded in surgical services.
Dr Fertleman, who was quoted in the report, is also embedded in 7 South, the trauma and orthopaedics ward, at Charing Cross Hospital.
Since an orthogeriatric service was introduced on the ward last year, the length of stay for hip fractures has reduced from 26 days to 10 days, with no corresponding impact on readmission rates.